Island



July 28, 1931.

G. P. BOSWORTH 1,816,630

YARN CbNTROLLING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Fil p l ,1922 SSheets-Sheet lw enzo 5 Geo, 51.11305201165 370 g I fi g WW I flifys.

July 28, 1931. G. P. BOSWORTH 1,816,630

YARN CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet July 28, 1931. GNPQBOSWORTH I I 1,316,630

YARN CONT-ROLLING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 19. 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 28, 1931. r e. P. BoswoRTH 1,816,630

YARN CONTROLLING MECHANISM ,FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 19. 1922 '6 Sheets-sheet 4 7 y BM Q wW. a

July 28, 1931. BOSWORTH 1,816,630

' YARN CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES s Sheets-Sheet s OswOrZQI July 28, 1931. G. P. BOSWORTH 1,816,630

YARN CO NTROLLING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES File April 19. 1922 e Sheets-Sheet e a F \E'i 'g 9 l 68' O as 2 O 60 6 o 3-?! [13.13; (ID 2 68' E g I F L 8 I l y Inventor: tieorge floswo r5571,

Patented July 28, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE I. BOSWOR'IE, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOB T HEMP- HILL COMPANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS YARN CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Application filed April 19,

This invention relates to yarn controlling mechanism for knitting machines, and particularly to such mechanism for circular knitting machines.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, I have disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a front elevation of a circular knitting machine having my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a development of the pattern drums shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the upper part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view mainly in side elevation but partly in section of a yarn binder and cutter Fig. 6 is a similar view looking at the binder and cutter from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 and representing the ring or member which supports the yarn guides, binder clamp and other parts as elevated and certain of the yarn guides supported by the yarn holding means;

. Fig. 9 is a plan view of a slightly modified form of my invention; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but of the modified form of my invention shown in Fig. 9. I

My invention may be applied to knitting machines of various types. I have, however, chosen to represent it in connection with a circular knitting machine of the so-called Banner type disclosed in the patent to Joshua D. Hemphill, No. 933,443, dated September 7, 1909. I will describe my invention as applied to that type of machine, but without limiting my invention thereto. The framing of the machine is indicated at a. It supports the needle cylinder N,'which is desirably rotatable, although obviously the 'cylinder'may be stationary and the cam carrier may be rotated. The main driving 1922. Serial No. 555,537.

mechanism, as well as the instrumentalities operatively connected therewith for actuate ing the needle cylinder N and the mechanisms for controlling the action of the speed changing, yarn changing and needle moving devices, are mounted in the framing a. At the top of the said frame is secured a flat table a2, which directly supports the needle cylinder N as well as the cam ring M and other parts arranged to cooperate with the needles in the knitting operation and in a manner which need not be more fully described.

The machine herein shown is a hosiery machine, and to that end is provided with narrowing and widening pickers for throwing the needles out of and into action for the formation of the heel and toe pockets.

The rimary driving shaft is indicated at a and t e construction is such that the needle cylinder makes one revolution to a revolution of the driving shaft. The speed and yarn changing cams are mounted upon a shaft 8', and the said shaft makes one complete revolution during the production of each stocking or piece of knitted work. Upon said shaft 8' is a ratchet or feed wheel 0'. and a sprocket wheel d for carrying the endless pattern chain B, said wheels 0 and d moving in unison, as they are secured to or integral with each other and are loosely revoluble upon the shaft 8. The pattern chain carried by the member (1' is composed of a suitable number of connected links and is provided with a predetermined number of properly positioned lugs. The wheel 0' is desirably advanced one tooth for four revolutions, of the shaft 8 while twelve revolutions of the latter advance the chain one link.

to describe, whereby the needle cylinder-is continuously rotated during the knitting of the leg and foot, and is reciprocated during movable member 19 cooperates.

the knitting of the heel and toe. Fast upon the shaft 8' is a drum f provided with a plurality of suitably positioned, interrupted,

peripheral, cam grooves )2 arranged side by side to act upon a swinging lever f3 in a customary manner. The said drum 7 has a peripheral rib f cut transversely at suitable intervals to cooperate with the lower end 62 of the pivoted clutch shifting lever b for guiding and throwing the driving clutch hub 6 into and out of action in a customary manner.

At some suitable point the framing of the machine is provided with an upright post 1 adapted to receive upon its upper end and to support a segmental or otherwise shaped guard member 2, which, as most clearly shown in Fig. 7, is substantially semi-circular in form, being pivoted upon a transverse pivot on a suitable post or upstanding member, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The guard member when in working position is preferably held down by a suitable manually controlled spring latch or catch 5, the construction preferably being such that when the latch is released a spring (not shown) elevates the guard member 2 upon its pivot 3.

Support d upon the guard member 2 is a yarn cutter binder operating lever 6 for the thread or threads temporarily out of action.

The said lever 6 which controls the cutter and binder members is operated in any suitable manner, and preferablyby a rod 7, the end whereof is received in a slot 8 of the lever 6, said rod 7 being connected-to one end of a lever 9 whose other end is connected to a rod 10 which in turn is pivotally connected at 11 to a lever 12 pivoted at 13 and resting upon the pattern drum 14, which is provided with the proper number of cams, the presence of a cam beneath the toe of the lever 12 holding the cutter open. When the toe of the lever 12 drops off the cam, the cutter is actuated to cut the yarn. There are a sufiicient number of cams provided upon the drum 14 to out every yarn which is changed, as, for example, the yarn for the foot, the yarn for the high splice, the yarn for the heel, the yarn for the foot and the yarn for the toe and other yarns, if they be employed.

As most clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the lever 6 is pivoted at 1 5, and. at its inner end has pivotally connected thereto at 16 a link 17 whose lower end is pivoted at 18 to the movable shear member 19 itself pivoted at .20 upon the base plate 21. There is rovided the fixed shear member 22 with W ich the There are also provided the clamp "member 23 and another clamp member 24 under both of which the inactive threads are passed. The clamp imember 23 is pivoted at 25 upon a suitable boss or extension from the base plate 21 and the clamp member24 is pivoted at 26 upon an extension of the bracket 27 Extending from the link 17 are fingers 28, 29, the former being adapted to cooperate with the tail 30 of a lever 30a pivoted at 306 upon the upright parts 300 of the bracket 27. The pivot of the lever 30a is surrounded by a coil spring 3001, the function of which is to hold the lever 30a on the top of the binder lever 24 when such action is not prevented by the finger 28.

The; finger 29 extending from the link 17 is adapted periodically to engage the end 30a of the binder lever 23 so as to lift said lever 23 out of binding relation with the base plate 21.

When the lever 6 is moved down so as to cause the shear blade 19 to cut an idle yarn placed thereunder, the finger 28 is lifted, so that it no longer engages the lever 30a, 'and therefore the spring of said lever is adapted to act to hold said lever down upon the binder lever 24, thus holding it fixedly in position and preventing the thread from being dis placed. When, however, the shear blade 19 is moved in the opposite direction, that is, to release the yarn, the finger 28 is moved downwardly soas to elevate the end 30 of the lever 30a, and thereby releasing all holding yarns from the binder lever 24, so that the yarn which, is to be thrown into action may be withdrawn therefrom.

the yarn, depresses the finger 29 so that the binder lever 23 is lifted from engagement with the yarn.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 7, the guard member 2 has a lateral extension 31 that is adapted to rest upon the post 1 and upon which are pivoted at 32 the yarn levers 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, here shown as five in number. The yarn lever 33 is preferably employed for the high splice thread, the yarn lever 34 for the heel and toe thread and the other levers for such other threads as are employed includin the thread or threads used in knitting the foot and leg. It will be observed, viewing Figs. 4 and 7, that the yarn lever 33 is subto the needle wave, as thereby all the yarn changing occurs at one side of the knitting point and insures the engagement of the yarns beneath the beards of the needles. Thus, such'arrangement of yarn levers, while stantially in line with a diametrical line through the axis or centre ofthe knittin head or needle cylinder. have found that the best results are secured co-acting with latch needles, peculiarly coacts with spring beard needles, which I desirably employ 1n the machine herein disclosed, though my Invention is not restricted to use therewith. In the event that spring beard needles are employed, I desirably employ individual pressers and presser cams to act thereon, as disclosed in my oo-pending application Serial No. 306,094, filed June 23, 1919, now Patent No. 1,490,908, dated April 22, 1924. The high splice lever 33 is adapted to be thrown into and out of action once for each revolution of the needle cylinder during the application of the high splice thread. For this purpose I may provide any suitable means, but I have herein represented a cam 38 pivoted at 39 upon the post 1 and adapted to be engaged by the arm 40 of a lever pivoted at 41 upon the post 1 and having a second arm 42 and a roll 43, the end whereof is engaged by a suitable cam 44 upon the sinker cam ring 45, so as to elevate the yarn lever 33 at the proper time. Each of the yarn levers is normally held in operative position by means of a suitable lever 33', 34;, 35', 36, 37' pivoted upon a horizontal pin 46 upon a lug or projection l? rising from the outer end of the guard member 1. Each of said levers 33, etc. is acted upon at its outer end by a suitable spring 48 connected thereto and also to the guard member 1' in a manner not necessary more fully to describe. The knitting or stitch cams are preferably carried by a block 49 which may be moved radially substantially as dis closed in the said Hemphill patent. Upon the said cam block are supported the narrowing pickers, one of which is indicated at 50 as well as a central guard cam and "wing cams. The widening picker or pickers may be of the type shown in the said Hemphill patent, or of any other suitable type.

In accordance with my invention 1 have provided means whereby one or more of the yarns which are out of action and the ends of which are held by the clamp or hinder, or which may be maintained out of action in any other suitable way, may be maintained from danger of entanglement with the needles between their ends, which are herein disclosed as held in the clamp or binder, and the inactive yarn guide or guides. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, 1 have of the heel and toe, the yarns from the other yarn guides are thus engaged or positioned to prevent entanglement with the needles. While within the scope of m invention any suitable means may be provi ed -for this purpose, I have provided the following mechanism.

Upon the shaft 8. there is fast a drum 51 having thereon two cams '52, 53, the former being operative during the knitting of the toe and the latter during the knitting of the heel. The said cams act at predetermined periods upon the end 54 of a lever 55 pivoted at 56 upon the framing and pressed a ainst the said cams by a suitable coil spring 5 To the outer end of the lever 55 is connected a link 58,

w the upper end whereof is connected at 59 to a provided means whereby during the knitting second link 60 which at its op osite end is connected by a screw 61 to a pre erably hooked shaped member 62 itse'lfpivoted at 63 u on, the support for the clamp or binder. he construction and relation of parts are such that when the end 54 of the lever 55 comes under either the cam 52 or the cam 53, the hook member 62 is swung from the dotted line poshion shown in Fig. T'into the iullline position, and passes between the inactive threads and the clamp or hinder, so as to sup- 1 port them and prevent sagging thereofor engagement of them by the needles or other funclioning part. At other times, in accordance with the disclosed embodiment of my invention, the hook member 62 occupies the dotted line position, and hence does not support the inactive thread or threads.

Not only does the member 62 function as described, but it may be employed to support one or more of the inactive yarn guides when the supporting member 2 is tilted upwardly to permit access to the needles or for any other purpose. At such time the hook may be swung into position beneath the in active yarn guides or one or more of them, as clearly indicated in Fig. 8.

Thus the operative is not compelled to support the yarn guides by hand, as would be the case when the member 2 is swung back and forth, as the yarn guides are not at such time in their normal active or inactive positions shown in Fig. 4. I

If desired, the hook member 62 may be supported oppositely from the position shown in Fig. 7. To that end, I have in Fig. 9 represented the hook member 62' as pivotall supported at '63, and as having connected t ereto 51' a link 60 which is connectedto the linlr 58, as hereinbefore described.

While I have represented the member 62 as hooltshaped, it is evident that I am not limited thereto, although such shape is preferable,'as so far as I am aware, I am the'iirst to provide means to be interposed between the yarn guide or guides and the end of the thread or threads for the purpose stated, and especially am I the first to interpose means for the purpose, periodically.

Having thus described one illustrative emhodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope ofthe invention being set forth in the following claims.

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1. In a knitting machine having needles and three or more yarn guides movable into and out of. action, inactive-yarn engaging means adapted to be positioned for inactiw'ayarns'engagement and means periodically to move said inactive-yarn engaging means into position to engage a plurality of inactive yarns between the yarn guide or guides there for and the end of the said yarns and there to keep them away from the needles the construction and relation of parts being such that said inactive yarneengaging means is maintained out of engagement with the active yarn or yarns.

2. In a knitting machine having needles and three or more yarn guides, movable into and out of action, yarn engaging means adapted to be positioned between the delivery ends of a plurality of inactive yarn guides and the end of the yarns leading therefrom, only during the periods of inactivity of said yarn guides and means automatically to move said yarn-engaging means into its yarn-em gaging position, the construction and rela tion of parts being such that said inactive yarn-engaging means is maintained out of engagement with the active yarn or yarns. 3. In a knitting machine having needles and three or more yarn guides, movable into and out of action inactive-yarn engaging means, and means periodically to move sai means into position to engage the inactive yarns between the yarn guides therefor and the end of said yarns and there keep them away from the needles, the construction and relation of parts being such that said inac tive yarn-engaging means is maintained out of engagement with the active yarn or'yarns.

4. In a knitting machine having needles and three or more yarn guides, inactive-yarn engaging means movable into and out of yarn engaging position, means to clamp the end of the inactive yarns, and means to move said engaging means to engage the inactive yarns between the yarn guides therefor and said' engaging means adapted to be moved into' position between the inactive yarn uides and said clamping means the construction and relation. of parts being such that said inactive yarn-engaging means is maintained out of engagement with the active yarn or yarns.

6. In a circular knitting machine having a circular series of needles, a plate within the circle of needles near the: upper end thereof, three or more yarn guides, means to move two or more of said yarn guides out of action, yarn cutting means, a binder, positionedw'to bind the yarns against the top surface of said plate means to engage said binder above said plate to hold it in closed position against said plate, means cooperating .with said cutting means to remove said binderengaging means from acting upon the binder and means to engage the inactive yarns between the binder and the inactive yarn guide or guides, to keep the inactive yarns from nee-- dle engagement, the construction and relation of parts being such that said inactive yarn-engaging means is maintained out of engagement with the active yarn or yarns.

, 7. In a knitting machine having needles and three or more yarn guides, inactive yarn engaging means, means to receive and support the end of the inactive yarns, and means to position said engaging means to engage the inactive yarns between the yarn guides therefor and said receiving and supporting means only during inactivity of such yarn or yarns, and thereby to keep the same out of needle engagement, the construction and relation of parts beingsuchthat said inactive yarn-engaging means is maintained out p of engagement with the active yarn or yarns.

8. In a circular knitting machine having a'stationary cam ring and a rotary needle cylinder, at least three yarn guides carried upon. a non rotary art. and movable into and out of functionlngposition, means for severing and retaining the ends of the inac-.

tive yarns, and means movable periodically and automatically into positionto supportthe inactive yarns between the yarn guides therefor vand the severing and retaining means the construction-and relation of parts being such that said inactive yarn-engaging means is maintainedput of engagement with the act1ve yarn or yarns.

9. In a circular knitting machine having a circularseries ofneedles and three or more yarn guides, inactive-yarn engagingmeans movable into andout of'yarn engaging position and positionable, when in inactive-yarn engaging position, outside the needle circle, means'to clamp the end of the inactive yarn or yarns, and means to move said engaging means -to en age the inactive yarns between the yarn gu1des therefor and said clamping means, outside the needlecircle, and there to keep said yarns from needle engagement the construction and relation of parts being such that sald inactive yarn-engaging means is maintained out oi engagement with the active yarn or yarns.

10. In a hosiery knitting machinehaving" a circular series of needles and means to form the heel and toe by narrowing and widening work, three or more yarn guides movable to and from active and inactive positions,.yarn

engaging means normally out of yarn engagement, and means to move said yarn-engaging means into engagement with the inactive yarns substantially when the instep needles are lifted into inoperative positions, so as to keep the. inactiveyarns out of engagement with the inactive needles the con struction and relation of parts being such that said inactive yarn-engaging means is maintained out of engagement with the active yarn or arns.

11.111 a circular knitting machine having a. circle of needles and at least three yarn guides movable individually into and out of action, means which, at no time acts to engage an active yarn but functioning'to en- GEORGE P. BOSWORTH. 

